Learn About Synonyms | 100 Synonyms for Learn with Meanings & Examples

The verb “learn” is a versatile word that can be used in a variety of ways. It can be used to talk about acquiring knowledge, skills, or habits. It can also be used to talk about teaching or being taught something.
The base form of “learn” is simply “learn”. The past simple is “learned.” The past participle is “learned.” The perfect form is “have learned.” The passive form is “be learned.” The present participle is “learning.” The continuous form is “is/are learning.” The perfect continuous form is “has/have been learning.”

The Verb Learn in Different Tenses

1. Base Form of Learn

The base form of the verb ‘learn’ is simply “learn.” This is the form of the verb that we use in general statements or to talk about an action that is happening right now.

Example:

• I learn new vocabulary every day.

2. Past Simple: Learned or Learnt

In the past tense, we have two options for the verb ‘learn’: “learned” and “learnt.” Both forms are correct, and which one you use depends on regional variations or personal preference.

Examples:

• She learned about different cultures during her travels.
• He learnt the basics of cooking from his grandmother.

3. Past Participle: Learned or Learnt

Similar to the past simple tense, we can use both “learned” and “learnt” as the past participle of ‘learn.’

Examples:

• The students have learned valuable skills in this course.
• The lessons I’ve learnt from my mistakes have made me stronger.

4. Perfect Form of Verb Learn

The perfect form of the verb ‘learn’ is created using “have” (or “has” for third-person singular) + past participle. It is used to talk about actions that were completed before a certain point in the past or to express experiences.

Examples:

• She has learned a lot about history.
• They have learnt from their past errors.

5. ‘Learn’ in Passive Forms

When using the verb ‘learn’ in the passive voice, we use “be” + past participle. This form emphasizes the action received rather than the doer.

Examples:

• English is learned by many people around the world.
• The new software will be learnt by the employees.

6. Learn in Present Participle

The present participle of ‘learn’ is “learning.” We use this form when describing ongoing actions or situations.

• Example: I am learning to play the guitar.

7. ‘Learn’ in Continuous Forms

To express actions that are in progress at a particular moment, we use the continuous forms of ‘learn.’ It involves using “be” + present participle.

Examples:

• She is learning Spanish for her upcoming trip.
• We were learning about different cultures in our last class.

8. ‘Learn’ in Perfect Continuous Forms

The perfect continuous forms of ‘learn’ are created using “have been” (or “has been” for third-person singular) + present participle. This tense highlights the continuous nature of an action that started in the past and is still ongoing.

Examples:

• He has been learning to dance since last year.
• They have been learning English for three months.

Example Sentences with Learn in Each Tense

Base Form

• I want to learn how to swim.
• They learn new things every day.

Past Simple

• She learned the piano when she was a child.
• We learnt about famous scientists in class.

Past Participle

• I have learned my lines for the play.
• He has learnt the importance of teamwork.

Perfect Form

• By the end of this course, they will have learned advanced mathematics.
• She will have learnt a lot about different cultures after her travels.

Passive Form

• English is learned by millions of people worldwide.
• The new technique was learnt quickly by the students.

Present Participle

• They are learning how to cook traditional dishes.
• She enjoys learning new languages.

Continuous Forms

• We were learning how to paint landscapes in the art class.
• He is learning how to fix his bike.

Perfect Continuous Forms

• She has been learning to play the violin for five years.
• They have been learning how to code online.

Check out this post on Learned vs Learnt for further details on the difference between them!

“Learn” Synonyms

1. Absorb

To take in (knowledge, information, or ideas) and understand fully.
Example: She quickly absorbed all the new procedures at her workplace.

2. Acquire

To gain knowledge or skills by studying, practicing, being taught, or experiencing something.
Example: He acquired proficiency in multiple languages.

3. Apprehend

To grasp the meaning of; understand.
Example: It took me a while to apprehend the complexity of the issue.

4. Ascertain

To find out or learn with certainty.
Example: After a lengthy investigation, the detective ascertained the truth.

5. Attain

To succeed in achieving something through effort.
Example: Through years of study, he attained a high level of knowledge about Renaissance art.

6. Become versed

To fully understand or familiarize oneself with something.
Example: She became versed in Chinese history after studying abroad.

7. Bolster

To support, strengthen, or reinforce.
Example: She bolstered her knowledge of Spanish by immersing herself in the local culture.

8. Catch on

To understand, especially after a long or difficult process.
Example: I finally caught on to the rules of the game.

9. Comprehend

To understand something fully.
Example: He couldn’t comprehend the advanced mathematical concepts.

10. Crack

To solve, usually to solve a complex problem in a smart way.
Example: The coder managed to crack the complex algorithm.

11. Decipher

To interpret the meaning of something puzzling or difficult.
Example: She deciphered the ancient script after months of study.

12. Deduce

To determine something by reasoning or deduction.
Example: From the clues, she deduced the thief’s identity.

13. Descry

To catch sight of something difficult to discern.
Example: The researcher descried a pattern in the data.

14. Detect

To discover or identify the presence or existence of.
Example: He was able to detect subtle shifts in the stock market after years of experience.

15. Determine

To establish or ascertain definitely, as after consideration, investigation, or calculation.
Example: She determined the root cause of the issue after thorough research.

16. Devour

To eagerly absorb or assimilate (knowledge or ideas).
Example: He devoured all the latest research papers on the subject.

17. Dig out

To find or discover something by effort or searching.
Example: The journalist managed to dig out some important facts.

18. Discern

To perceive or recognize something.
Example: After hours of discussion, they were able to discern the best path forward.

19. Discover

To find something or find out about something for the first time.
Example: They discovered a new method to solve the problem.

20. Distinguish

To perceive a difference in.
Example: She could distinguish between the types of wine after her course.

21. Divine

To discover by intuition or insight.
Example: He divined the hidden message in the painting.

22. Educate

To develop the knowledge, skill, or character of someone.
Example: His mentor educated him about the intricacies of the business world.

23. Enlighten

To give knowledge or understanding to someone.
Example: The seminar enlightened me about the ongoing environmental issues.

24. Fathom

To understand the truth of something after thinking about it.
Example: It took a while for her to fathom the gravity of the situation.

25. Figure out

To understand or solve something.
Example: After thinking for a bit, he figured out how to solve the equation.

26. Find out

To discover, especially where a thing or person is, either unexpectedly or by searching, or to discover where to get or how to achieve something.
Example: I finally found out how to use the new software.

27. Get

To acquire knowledge of.
Example: She got the hang of the new dance routine after a few practices.

28. Grasp

To comprehend fully.
Example: It’s a difficult concept to grasp.

29. Grind

To study hard for an examination.
Example: She had been grinding for the final exams for weeks.

30. Grow aware

To become conscious or cognizant of.
Example: He grew aware of the consequences of his actions over time.

31. Hit upon

To discover or think of, especially unexpectedly or by chance.
Example: After days of brainstorming, he finally hit upon a solution to the problem.

32. Immerse

To engage wholly or deeply.
Example: She immersed herself in scientific research.

33. Implement

To carry out, apply, or practice.
Example: He implemented the learned techniques in his art project.

34. Infer

To derive as a conclusion from facts or premises.
Example: From the data, we can infer that the cost of living has increased.

35. Instruct

To teach or train someone.
Example: The manual instructed him on how to use the new equipment.

36. Keep up with

To match the speed or progress of someone or something.
Example: She managed to keep up with all the recent developments in her field.

37. Know

To understand clearly and with certainty.
Example: She knew the answer after studying all night.

38. Latch on to

To understand something, especially after a long or difficult process.
Example: After some time, he finally latched on to the principles of quantum physics.

39. Learn by rote

To learn something by memorizing without giving any thought to what is being learned.
Example: For the test, he simply learned the formulas by rote.

40. Look into

To inspect or investigate.
Example: He looked into various historical records to validate his theory.

41. Master

To become skilled or proficient in.
Example: She mastered the French language in just two years.

42. Notice

To become aware of something.
Example: After living there for a month, he began to notice the local customs.

43. Observe

To watch carefully the way something happens or the way someone does something, especially in order to learn more about it.
Example: She observed the procedures in the lab to learn how to conduct the experiment.

44. Perceive

To become aware or conscious of something; to apprehend.
Example: He could perceive the changes in temperature.

45. Pick up

To learn or acquire knowledge about something.
Example: She picked up a few phrases in Italian before her trip to Rome.

46. Puzzle out

To solve or discover the answer to a puzzle or something puzzling.
Example: After several attempts, she finally puzzled out the meaning of the poem.

47. Read

To look at and understand the meaning of written or printed words or symbols.
Example: He read several books on the subject.

48. Realize

To understand or become aware of a particular fact or situation.
Example: I didn’t realize the importance of the meeting until it was too late.

49. Receive

To take into one’s possession.
Example: He received a deep understanding of cultural diversity during his travels.

50. Recognize

To identify or acknowledge the existence or presence of.
Example: She recognized the symptoms from her medical training.

51. See

To perceive by the visual faculty.
Example: She began to see the patterns in the data.

52. Sense

To feel or perceive.
Example: After several sessions, he could sense the nuances in the music.

53. Spot

To detect or notice something.
Example: She spotted a rare bird during her hike.

54. Study

To apply oneself to acquiring knowledge.
Example: He studied for hours to prepare for the exam.

55. Take in

To perceive or understand.
Example: It was a lot of information to take in at once.

56. Teach

To help someone learn or understand something by giving them information.
Example: The professor taught him the principles of economics.

57. Tumble to

To understand or begin to understand something.
Example: She finally tumbled to the solution to the problem.

58. Uncover

To discover or find something hidden or lost.
Example: The archaeologist uncovered an ancient artifact.

59. Understand

To perceive the intended meaning of something.
Example: I understand your point of view.

60. Unearth

To find something in the ground by digging.
Example: The detective unearthed evidence that helped solve the case.

61. Unlock

To reveal or explain something that was previously unknown or hidden.
Example: His research unlocked new information about the disease.

62. Unravel

To understand or explain something complicated or puzzling.
Example: The team of scientists unraveled the complexities of the genetic code.

63. Work out

To find the answer to something.
Example: She worked out the problem using the formula.

64. Brush up

To improve your knowledge or skill in something, often something you learned in the past.
Example: He brushed up on his Spanish before his trip to Argentina.

65. Bone up

To study intensively, as before an exam.
Example: I need to bone up on my algebra for the test tomorrow.

66. Buckle down

To apply oneself vigorously; become serious.
Example: She needs to buckle down and learn the material if she wants to pass the course.

67. Drill

To teach by repeated instruction and exercises; practice.
Example: The teacher drilled the multiplication tables into the students’ minds.

68. Familiarize

To get to know, to acquaint, to become accustomed to.
Example: He familiarized himself with the new software.

69. Get down to

To start to direct your efforts and attention to something.
Example: Now that I’ve finished that project, I can get down to learning Italian.

70. Get the hang of

To learn the skills that are needed to do something.
Example: I’ve finally gotten the hang of this game.

71. Hit the books

To begin studying in earnest.
Example: It’s exam week, so I’ve been hitting the books pretty hard.

72. Hunker down

To settle into a place or situation and concentrate on the task at hand.
Example: I need to hunker down and learn this material for the final exam.

73. Internalize

To make (attitudes or behavior) part of one’s nature by learning or unconscious assimilation.
Example: He had internalized the rules of the board game after several rounds.

74. Mug up

To study intensively, as before an exam.
Example: She stayed up all night mugging up on her history facts.

75. Plow through

To study or work laboriously.
Example: He had to plow through a pile of documents to prepare his report.

76. Polish up

To improve a skill or knowledge of something by practicing.
Example: He decided to polish up his coding skills by enrolling in an online course.

77. Pore over

To study or read something very carefully.
Example: The detective pored over the evidence looking for clues.

78. Soak up

To absorb or learn something.
Example: During her trip to Italy, she soaked up the local culture and language.

79. Swot up

To study something in a very concentrated way.
Example: He was swotting up on his chemistry before the final exam.

80. Wise up

To become more knowledgeable or experienced about the real or modern world.
Example: It’s high time you wised up about the realities of running a business.

81. Glean

To gather information or material bit by bit.
Example: She gleaned facts about the case from various sources.

82. Inform

To give knowledge or information.
Example: The brochure informs visitors about the history of the castle.

83. Savvy

To understand or get the sense of.
Example: After years in the industry, he has a savvy of how things work.

84. Search

To look for information, especially using the internet or a database.
Example: I searched for the recipe online.

85. Sift

To examine (something) thoroughly so as to isolate that which is most important.
Example: He sifted through the files to find the required information.

86. Conclude

To arrive at a judgment or opinion by reasoning.
Example: From the evidence, the detective concluded that the suspect was innocent.

87. Garner

To gather or collect (something, especially information or approval).
Example: The journalist garnered facts for his article from various sources.

88. Identify

To establish or indicate who or what (someone or something) is.
Example: The scientist was able to identify the species of the plant based on its characteristics.

89. Research

To study something thoroughly and carefully.
Example: She researched the history of the building for her article.

90. Assess

To evaluate or estimate the nature, ability, or quality of.
Example: The teacher assessed the students’ understanding of the topic.

91. Gather

To collect or accumulate facts or information.
Example: She gathered data from various sources for her research project.

92. Reveal

To make (previously unknown or secret information) known to others.
Example: His studies revealed new facts about the universe.

93. Analyze

To examine in detail the structure of something, especially information.
Example: The scientist analyzed the results of the experiment.

94. Clarify

To make (a statement or situation) less confused and more clearly comprehensible.
Example: The professor clarified the concepts that the students found difficult.

95. Inspect

To look at (someone or something) closely, typically to assess their condition or to discover any shortcomings.
Example: She inspected the artifact to understand its origin.

96. Interpret

To explain the meaning of; make sense of.
Example: The scholar interpreted the ancient text.

97. Calculate

To determine something by mathematical or logical methods.
Example: He calculated the total cost of the project.

98. Contemplate

To think profoundly and at length.
Example: She contemplated the meaning of life.

99. Evaluate

To form an idea of the amount, number, or value of; assess.
Example: The teacher evaluated the students’ performance on the test.

100. Examine

To inspect (someone or something) in detail to determine their nature or condition; investigate thoroughly.
Example: The doctor examined the patient’s symptoms to make a diagnosis.

Here are some more example sentences in each tense:
Base form: I learn new things every day.
Past simple: I learned how to ride a bike when I was 8 years old.
Past participle: The information that has been learned will be used in the future.
Perfect form: I have learned a lot since I started this job.
Passive form: The lesson was learned by the students.
Present participle: I am learning how to speak Spanish.
Continuous form: The students are learning about the history of the United States.
Perfect continuous form: I have been learning about the stock market for the past few months.